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Introduction to Comics
How to Get Into Comic Books (13:40) | Patrick Willems
Consider your intent/commitment. Think about your favorite shows, movies, books, etc. Do you seek quality storytelling or encyclopedic superhero knowledge? Plan to collect? Do you have the time/money to read 50 or 500 comics per character?
Don’t try to read everything at once. There’s too much. Forget about catching up, continuity, universes, etc. for now. Think of it like solving a jigsaw puzzle one small piece at a time until you finally start to see the big picture. Older comics can be an acquired taste for modern audiences, so they aren’t always ideal starting points. Creative teams change often, characters get re-worked, and origins are re-told.
Pick an interesting character/team and seek their most popular/acclaimed stories. Focus on self-contained/complete stories. You will encounter unexplained references/characters/events—just keep reading or Wiki. Don
Hush isn't necessarily one of the "best", but it's great for new readers because it gives you a taste of everything with some cool Jim Lee art.
Modern DC characters/teams:
DC also publishes varied-genre, creator-owned comics for “mature readers” under separate imprints (e.g. Vertigo):
Alternatively, you can skip to the recent Rebirth re-launch by reading the DC Universe: Rebirth event and then any Rebirth series #1. Check out the /r/DCcomics sidebar for more info.
Modern DC events/crossovers:
Batman
Read older stuff:
Modern DC characters/teams:
Modern DC events/crossovers:
I think your list is fine. This is what I usually recommend to new readers (and even this is doesn't feel completely right):
> what's the true order?
Whatever order you want. If you can't decide, then read only the highly recommended stuff in release order.
> The true batman?
Whatever Batman you want. These comics have been ongoing since the 1930s. Hopefully, you can understand how it'd be impossible to maintain the same writers/artists for that long, how difficult it is to keep the stories fresh/unique, and how many times you'd have to "creatively" keep Batman at an age that made sense. A part of the fun in reading classic characters like this is to be able to say stuff like "Morrison's crazy Batman is my favorite" or "Snyder's Batman was fun and I preferred the Zero Year origin story". One writer's version of Batman might be "canon" for 10 years until another writer tweaks or completely rewrites it, making the old version "non-canon". Honestly, this is the kind of thing you only want to worry about AFTER having read a lot of comics primarily for enjoyment. If your goal is to just be a full-on encyclopedic DC knowledge nerd, then reading wikis is much more efficient than the actual comics.
> What line of Batman comics is chronologically correct?
I'm not sure what you are asking here. Every "line" of Batman comics can be chronologically correct. If you're asking about a definitive reading order for "canon" Batman comics then... good luck. That kind of thing is very subjective and constantly changing.
> What is considered the definitive series of Batman comics
Again, it's better to discard the idea of only one "true" or "definitive" Batman. Find your own favorite writer/artist combo. Think about the movies. There's Tim Burton's Batman, Schumacher's Batman, Nolan's Batman, Zack Snyder's Batman, etc. There's no need for there to be just one.
Also, I don't recommend reading things just because they're "canon". You don't want to miss out on critically acclaimed or popular stories just because they are alternate universes or non-canon. That'd be like not watching Nolan's Batman because it's not a part of the new DCEU movies. Conversely, it'd be a shame to feel FORCED to read something very poorly reviewed JUST BECAUSE it has some plot point that changes Batman status quo for a few years—just wiki that information instead.
To make it easier, here's a list of modern "essential" Batman comics. Batman is one of the most consistently well-written/drawn superheroes so this is just a small sample of the "good stuff":
I can't emphasize this enough: JUST START READING. All the preparation and over-analysis will just make everything seem MORE confusing. Think of it like solving a jigsaw puzzle one piece at a time. With every comic you read, the overarching/cross-series themes, plots, continuities, timelines, character interactions, events, etc. will start to make more sense until you've read "enough" to see the big picture.
Essential Batman
Batman Incorporated is the finale to Morrison's run.
Batman Essentials
Recommendations
Criteria:
NOTE: Ratings = IRL reading group averages, subjective, rounded, in flux, and require 2+ opinions. " - " = unrated.
Batman Essentials
Also, if you like Gotham, then check out the comic that I wanted the TV show to be:
Forget about continuity, universes, timelines, etc; it's all very confusing, even to creators/fans. Don’t try to read everything, else you'll be wading through decades of mediocre comics for far too long. Remember, there are so many other great characters/stories/publishers to explore.
First appearances/origins are not always good starting points. Creative teams change often and characters get re-worked e.g. I never cared for Hawkeye until Fraction & Aja’s interpretation. Focus on well-received and relatively self-contained stories. Pick an interesting character or team and seek their “greatest hits” stories. You may encounter the occasional unexplained reference/character, but just try to ride along or Wiki if you must.
Marvel Unlimited / Comixology for digital. instocktrades for physical (US). ISBNS for price aggregate.
Modern DC characters/teams:
Alternatively, read the Rebirth event (2016) and then any Rebirth #1.
Events/crossovers can be fun and/or tedious. They are most appreciated by readers well-versed in relevant continuity. Generally, the best non-event comics integrate these seamlessly or avoid them entirely (notwithstanding editorial/executive mandates). Regardless, you may want to familiarize with major plot points.
Modern DC events/crossovers:
Discover your preferences and let them inform your next comic selection. Do you like older/newer comics? Weird concepts? Super-smart meta-analysis and social commentary? Family-friendly content? Hyper-violence? Male/female protagonists? Humor? Horror? Have you noticed that a specific artist, writer, and/or creative team consistently produces content you like? Follow these instincts.
Suggestions to improve the list are welcome.
Forget about continuity, universes, timelines, etc; it's all very confusing, even to creators/fans. Don’t try to read everything, else you'll be wading through decades of mediocre comics for far too long. Remember, there are so many other great characters/stories/publishers to explore.
First appearances/origins are not always good starting points. Creative teams change often and characters get re-worked e.g. I never cared for Hawkeye until Fraction & Aja’s interpretation. Focus on well-received and relatively self-contained stories. Pick an interesting character or team and seek their “greatest hits” stories. You may encounter the occasional unexplained reference/character, but just try to ride along or Wiki if you must.
Modern DC characters/teams:
Alternatively, read the Rebirth event (2016) and then any Rebirth #1.
Events/crossovers can be fun and/or tedious. They are most appreciated by readers well-versed in relevant continuity. Generally, the best non-event comics integrate these seamlessly or avoid them entirely (notwithstanding editorial/executive mandates). Regardless, you may want to familiarize with major plot points.
Modern DC events/crossovers:
Discover your preferences and let them inform your next comic selection. Do you like older/newer comics? Weird concepts? Super-smart meta-analysis and social commentary? Family-friendly content? Hyper-violence? Male/female protagonists? Humor? Horror? Have you noticed that a specific artist, writer, and/or creative team consistently produces content you like? Follow these instincts.
Forget about continuity, universes, timelines, etc; it's all very confusing, even to creators/fans. Don’t try to read everything, else you'll be wading through decades of mediocre comics for too long. Remember, there are SO MANY other characters, series, and publishers to explore.
First appearances/origins aren’t always good starting points. Creative teams change often and characters get re-worked e.g. never caring about Hawkeye until Fraction & Aja’s interpretation. Focus on well-received and relatively self-contained series. Pick an interesting character or team and seek their “greatest hits” stories. You may still encounter the occasional unexplained reference/character, but it’s best to just ride along or just Wiki if you must.
Modern DC characters/teams:
Alternatively, you can just pick ANY Rebirth title and start reading from #1.
Events/crossovers can be fun and/or tedious. They are most appreciated by readers well-versed in relevant continuity. Generally, the best non-event comics integrate these seamlessly or avoid them entirely (notwithstanding editorial/executive mandates). Regardless, you may want to familiarize with major plot points.
Modern DC events/crossovers:
Discover your preferences and let them inform your next comic selection. Do you like older/newer comics? Weird concepts? Super-smart meta-analysis and social commentary? Family-friendly content? Hyper-violence? Male/female protagonists? Humor? Horror? Have you noticed that a specific artist, writer, and/or creative team consistently produces content you like? Follow these instincts.
Ok look at this and this
DC Rebirth Ranked by /r/comicbooks.
Modern DC characters/teams:
Modern DC events/crossovers:
Consider your intent/commitment. Think about stories/characters from TV, movies, games, etc. that you already like. Do you seek “good” storytelling or encyclopedic Marvel knowledge? Are you here to collect or read? How much time/resources are available?
Don’t try to read everything—there’s too much. Older comics can be an acquired taste for modern audiences, so first appearances/early origins may not be the best starting points. Creative teams change often, characters get re-worked, origins are re-told (e.g. I never cared for Aquaman until Geoff Johns’ run).
Forget about continuity, universes, and timelines; it's all very confusing, even to creators/fans.
Pick an interesting character/team and seek their “greatest hits”. Focus on well-received, relatively self-contained, and complete stories. You may encounter the occasional unexplained reference/character/event—just ride along (Wiki if necessary).
Remember, there are so many other great comics, characters, stories, and publishers to explore. There is much more variety now and not all comics are about superheroes.
Comixology for digital. instocktrades for physical (US). ISBNS for price aggregate.
Modern DC characters/teams:
Alternatively, you can skip directly to the newest series by reading the Rebirth event (2016) and then any series’ Rebirth #1. Check out the /r/DCcomics sidebar for more info.
Events/crossovers can be fun and/or tedious. However, they are most appreciated by readers already well-versed in relevant continuity. Generally, the best non-event comics integrate these seamlessly or avoid them entirely (notwithstanding editorial/executive mandates). Regardless, you may want to familiarize with major plot points.
Modern DC events/crossovers:
Discover your preferences and let them guide you. Do you like older/newer comics? Weird concepts? Super-smart meta-analysis and social commentary? Family-friendly content? Hyper-violence? Male/female protagonists? Humor? Horror? Have you noticed that a specific artist, writer, and/or creative team consistently produces content you like? Follow these instincts.
Suggestions to improve the list are welcome.
How to Get Into Comic Books (13:40) by Patrick Willems
Consider your intent/commitment. Think about stories/characters from TV, movies, games, etc. that you already like. Do you seek “good” storytelling or encyclopedic DC knowledge? Are you here to collect or read? How much time/resources are available?
Don’t try to read everything—there’s too much. Forget about continuity, universes, and timelines; it's all very confusing, even to creators/fans. Older comics can be an acquired taste for modern audiences, so first appearances/early origins may not be the best starting points. Creative teams change often, characters get re-worked, and origins are re-told (e.g. I never cared for Aquaman until Geoff Johns’ run).
Pick an interesting character/team and seek their “greatest hits”. Focus on well-received, relatively self-contained, and complete stories. You may encounter the occasional unexplained reference/character/event—just ride along (Wiki if necessary). Remember, there are so many other great characters and publishers to explore, and not all comics are about superheroes.
Comixology for digital. instocktrades for physical (US). ISBNS for price aggregate.
Recommendations:
"Essential" Batman:
Modern DC characters/teams:
Alternatively, you can skip directly to the new Rebirth re-launch by reading the Rebirth event (2016) and any Rebirth #1. Check out the /r/DCcomics sidebar for more info.
Events/crossovers can be fun and/or tedious. They are most appreciated by readers already well-versed in relevant continuity. Generally, the best non-event comics integrate these seamlessly or avoid them entirely (notwithstanding editorial/executive mandates). Regardless, you may want to familiarize with major plot points.
Modern DC events/crossovers:
Discover your preferences and let them guide you. Do you like older/newer comics? Weird concepts? Super-smart meta-analysis and social commentary? Family-friendly content? Hyper-violence? Male/female protagonists? Humor? Horror? Have you noticed that a specific artist, writer, or creative team consistently produces content you like? Follow these instincts.
Suggestions to improve the guide are welcome.
I couldn't tell you what the DCEU is going to do in terms of where they're taking from. With the backlash they're receiving from Man of Steel, BvS, and Suicide Squad, they may have to change their original game plan. I primarily focus on pre new 52 batman, but I know a bit about other characters, as well.
There's a VERY long post I responded with a few days ago on this subreddit. It's the first one. It explains what Pre-New 52 is, what New 52 is, and briefly what Rebirth is.
This is a short rundown of some popular Pre-New 52 stories. Inhales. Here we go...
In 1986, a writer/artist named Frank Miller wrote a Batman story called The Dark Knight Returns . Some people would argue that the Batman T.V show staring Adam West made the character of Batman too 'light,' and not as dark and brooding as he should be. Writer/artist team Denny O'Neil and Neal Adams tried for years to get this status quo back, but couldn't quite reach it. Frank Miller absolutely nailed it with this 4-issue series. If you have seen Batman vs. Superman, you will easily see the parallels in this story. It should be important to note that The Dark Knight Returns is not canon, meaning it is not in the timeline of Batman. It is in a different universe, essentially a "what if?" story, but nonetheless, a fantastic read.
From there, Miller went in the complete opposite direction and wrote a Batman origin story, called Batman: Year One . If you have seen Batman Begins, you will see what Christopher Nolan took from this story.
Joker by Brian Azzarello is most like that of the Joker in Suicide Squad. This isn't so much a story, in my opinion, as much as it is an insight into the Joker himself, and just how crazy he is. It is told through the eyes of one of the Joker's henchmen.
Not necessarily tied to the big screen, Batman: The Killing Joker was the first comic that made me put it down after I was done, sit there, and exhale. It is a masterpiece.
Batman: The Long Halloween is closely related to Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. In the edition that I have , there is a note that actually mentions the parallels between the Long Halloween and the Nolan Movies. Here's a summary as taken from an amazon review:
A costumed hero learning he can trust no one.
A serial killer using the holidays to mark his handiwork.
A crime lord trying to hold onto a crumbling empire.
A city beset by gangsters becoming a haven for freaks.
An honest district attorney hiding a terrible secret.
A dark woman tempting the Dark Knight detective.
And a friendship that would be shattered forever.
-
Remember the Robin Suit that was in the BvS trailer? They probably got that from this.
As for Superman, this is probably the most iconic superman story. DO NOT CLICK THIS LINK IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN BVS.
The superman in All-Star Superman is a much more humane character than the one in BvS and Man of Steel. Again, this is like Dark Knight Returns in that it is a what if/alternate universe story.
You want Justice League? Here ya go. This run on the Justice League is probably the best, better than Geoff Johns, IMO. I can't see how they won't take from this run. Start at vol 1; you can stop there or go all the way to vol 9. I believe there is still a vol 10 coming out.
Fuck, I forgot Green Lantern...
Green Lantern is a character that Geoff Johns dipped his magical hand into. Johns made the Green Lantern story so massive that it could break off from DC and be its own company, I bet. I can't write out the trade paperback reading order, but if you have room and money, you can collect every single thing he did (except one thing) in 3 massive omnibus editions. These omnibus editions do not collect the story arch called "Brightest Day." That has it's own omnibus, but the quality is such shit that it will fall apart on you before you finish it. You may have to read it in smaller books.
Flash also had a bit of Geoff Johns. There are 3 omnibuses, like green lantern, but they are out of print and go for hundreds of dollars online. They are being reprinted in smaller paperback editions.
The history of the Flash is too long for me to explain here, and my hands are cramping up.
This is just a taste of Pre-new 52 stories, and some that they may draw from for the movies, since these were the most successful.